Polyphenolic natural products are of current interest because of their various biological activities, their occurrence in foodstuffs, and hence their relevance for human health. Polyphenolic natural products have two or more hydroxyl groups on their aromatic rings.
Representative examples include: (−)-epiafzelechin, (+)-catechin, (−)-epicatechin, (−)-gallocatechin, (−)-epigallocatechin, their respective 3-gallate esters, as well as two 3-(30-methyl)-gallate esters, herein referred to collectively as “catechins”. (+)-Catechin, (−)-catechins, (+)-epicatechin and (−)-epicatechin are flavon-3-ols.
These flavonols are present in the human diet in chocolate, fruits, vegetables and wine and have found use in the treatment of acute coronary syndromes, including but not limited to myocardial infarction and angina; acute ischemic events in other organs and tissues, renal injury, renal ischemia and diseases of the aorta and its branches; injuries arising from medical interventions, including but not limited to coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) procedures and aneurysm repair; cancer; and metabolic diseases, diabetes mellitus and other such disorders.
Though such polyphenols including catechins and epicatechin are used widely, they have certain drawbacks such as low potency, undesirable pharmacodymanics and pharmacokinetic profile. Hence there is a need to improve the potency, pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetic profiles of the polyphenols.
One of the means to achieve such an effect is to have new analogues of epicatechin. The analogues of polyphenols may be used, to reduce or eliminate metabolites, increase the half-life of the parent drug, decrease the number of doses needed to achieve a desired effect, and/or create a more effective and/or a safer drug.